Blues coach Leon MacDonald was a handy cricketer in his day and the straight bat was certainly out at training on Friday as he refused to confirm or deny his anticipated spot in Scott Robertson’s All Blacks coaching setup for 2024 and beyond.
It has long been speculated that MacDonald is Robertson’s preferred right-hand-man in the national coaching group he aims to put together, and Tuesday’s announcement that the Crusaders boss will finally take the All Blacks reins after the 2023 World Cup in France brings that a step closer to reality.
Not that MacDonald was clarifying anything on Friday ahead of an important Sunday Super Rugby Pacific clash for his Blues against the Western Force at Eden Park. In an at-times awkward, and stilted, media standup, the coach made it clear any announcement on his involvement, or otherwise, with Team Razor would not be coming from him.
But if you were the type who likes to read between the lines, or decipher body language, then you might be presuming the drumbeats have been pretty accurate.
“It’s such a big topic at the moment, and firstly Razor getting the job is great news and I’m stoked for him,” said MacDonald. “I think he’ll do a great job, and he’s been biding his time around the announcement of the assistants. That’s a big part of his gig. He’s going to assemble his team and he should have the ability to announce that as and when he wants.
MacDonald confirmed he remained in regular contact with Robertson and that he “wasn’t sure” if it was possible to perhaps fulfil both roles (Blues head coach and All Blacks assistant) next year.
But he did concede his mindset around one important aspect of this process.
“If you’re in the rugby game that’s obviously the pinnacle in New Zealand, and I’m definitely no different. Although I’m really enjoying my role with the Blues … the black jersey is the black jersey and if you’ve grown up watching rugby in New Zealand as a kid, like most of us have, it’s the pinnacle and pretty special.”
“I feel like we can now just get on and support the All Blacks wholeheartedly in the World Cup, and Fozzie (coach Ian Foster) and the team deserve New Zealand’s support,” he said. “The soap opera is done and dusted now, and I think we’re all looking forward to seeing the All Blacks play in France and get the job done.”
The conversation then entered awkward territory when MacDonald was asked about a potential head coaching role with Scotland that he’d also been associated with, and whether he was weighing up two jobs.
“Not really. You’re coaxing me into saying too much already. I just think in a week or two, once the dust settles, it will be a lot easier to have a proper conversation instead of trying to avoid saying something that’s going to become a headline.”
Translation: be patient, all will become clear when the All Blacks coach-in-waiting is ready for it to be.
MacDonald’s straight bat contrasts a little with Crusaders assistant Scott Hansen’s clear nod earlier this week that he’s keen to make the jump with his boss, and a decidedly less equivocal clarification from Hurricanes coach Jason Holland that he hadn’t spoken to Robertson in “a couple of months”.
If MacDonald does come on board Team Razor, this week’s Blues skipper Harry Plummer believes the All Blacks will have a good one on their hands.
“He knows the game really well and he’s not afraid to experiment with it,” said Plummer. “I feel like he’s brought that southern mindset with the Auckland flair and that’s really helped us a lot. He’s bought into us wanting to express ourselves and I hope you’ve seen that over the last 24 months in how we’ve been trying to play.
“The boys have drawn to Leon massively and we’d like to think he’s done the same to us. Whatever happens going forward, it’s been a really cool relationship.”
